A former Cork city bar operated by the Rebel Bar Group has changed hands, and is due to re-open by Easter. Mulligans, on Parnell Place, has been acquired by a small consortium headed up by Liam Barry, who has owned the Bodhrán on Oliver Plunkett Street for more than 10 years, and who’s been in the bar business in Cork and Mallow for almost 20 years.
According to The Irish Examiner, there are ambitious plans afoot to market the just-acquired premises to businesses in the locality (seen as the emerging central business district) for snacks, lunches and early offers, especially through social media. Also planned are live music evening sessions and a strong injection of TV sports coverage.
Mr Barry said the current work on the premises was to break up the overall open-plan 2,400 sq ft ground floor area (a reverse of the super-pub trend of the previous decade?) and to create more intimate booths and seating areas, for small groups and parties.
The 4,500 sq ft premises was sold via agent Cearbhal Behan of Frank V Murphy & Co for receivers Ernst and Young, and while a price of around €600,000 had been quoted at one stage, it’s more likely to have sold in the €400,00/500,000 price level, with a further six-figure sum being spent on its upgrades.
It adjoins the Parnell Place, South Mall/Beasely Street site assembled by developer Michael Corbett for a 120-bed hotel over six storeys and which is largely built but unfinished inside. It has been made available to rent, and previous reports have suggested hotel groups like Morans and Bewleys may have an interest in it.
That hotel site (designed by James Leahy Architects and with a dramatic facade to narrow Beasley Street, and a part-conserved unfinished face to Parnell Place) also adjoins 97 South Mall, the former AIB building recently vacated by Thomas Crosbie Holdings and available to buy or to let via Downing Commercial.
Also on Parnell Place, Frank V Murphy & Co have the former Flahertys bar available, with access to Oliver Plunkett Street, while Lisneys are seeking to sell another former elegant bank branch, the old Cork Savings Band, most latterly Permanent TSB, with a €1m plus asking price.
Details: Frank V Murphy & Co, 021-4274204; Downing Commercial, 021-4271000; Lisney, 021-4275079